This tender is part of the 5th cycle of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers Procurement Programme (REIPPP) and will remain open until August 4, 2021.
Call for tenders to develop renewable energies in South Africa
Supply 2.6 GW of renewable energy
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has confirmed that a new call for tenders will be launched in the coming weeks.
The ultimate goal is to supply 1.6 GW of wind power and 1 GW of solar power.
“It has been widely recognized that South Africa needs to move towards energy transition and increased use of renewable energy. The announcement of the opening of tenders for the fifth round of REIPPP is a long-awaited step in the right direction,” says Kieran Whyte, Baker McKenzie partner in Johannesburg.
Moving away from coal
South Africa expects 24.1 GW of coal-fired power stations to be decommissioned between 2030 and 2050.
Most of the country’s aging coal-fired power plants will become redundant over the next five years.
As a result, the country could face electricity supply shortfalls of between 4 and 6 GW over the next few years.
This situation has prompted the government to launch a phased purchase of 11.8 GW of electricity from renewables, natural gas and other sources.
In particular, an increase of 6 GW of solar and 14.4 GW of wind power is planned by 2030. Eskom, the national electricity company, has also pledged to become a net zero emitter by 2050 and to improve its renewable energy portfolio.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is keen to speed up the auctioning of renewable energies.
He has already announced that another tender will be launched in August 2021.
